DPH official says ‘sick people aren’t staying home’ contributing to rising COVID-19 cases

COLQUITT COUNTY, Ga. – Colquitt County has officially surpassed 1000 covid-19 cases. The county is now the second to do so in the Southwest Georgia Public Health’s 14 county district with 1016 coronavirus cases.

“In Colquitt County, we have had another small increase in the number of cases that started just before Memorial Day,” says Health Director for the Southwest Public Health District Dr. Charles Ruis.

Now, in early July, Colquitt is seeing confirmed, COVID-19 cases in the double digits on a daily basis and Dr. Ruis says testing in the area has gone up 182% since the beginning of June.

“It is possible that by doing more tests that we are simply discovering more cases we think that it is also due to the transmission of the disease.”

Dr. Ruis says the increase in socialization and lack of masks may be contributing to the spread however he says a more serious issue is that people who are sick aren’t staying isolated at home.

“Many of the infections in Southwest Georgia are purely because sick people did not stay home and it’s sad to say, but in some cases, people knew that they had symptoms.”

And as cases surge in Colquitt, neighboring counties like Dougherty are starting to see a rise as well. In a report Dr. Charles Ruis said there was an “increase in COVID-19 cases in Dougherty County, accompanied by a slight increase in hospitalizations.” He says his report is meant to remind people of the pandemic.

“People just need to remember we are in a pandemic, people are still getting sick, people are still being hospitalized and are dying of COVID-19.”

And as the pandemic continues to spread throughout Southwest Georgia, free drive thru testing is still available. Dr. Ruis urges people to set up an appointment for testing by calling this number: (229) 352-6567.